


Home Again, Whole Again

by Orange_Coyote



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Domestic Bliss, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, M/M, Short & Sweet, Sweet Enough To Cause Cavities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:02:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27407020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Orange_Coyote/pseuds/Orange_Coyote
Summary: Steve comes home from a long day of work and Tony being himself is just what he needs to breathe again.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark
Comments: 8
Kudos: 83





	Home Again, Whole Again

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ralsbecket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ralsbecket/gifts).



> This was inspired by a prompt shalina left in the PotS discord server. My heart melted when I saw it so I couldn't NOT write a little something for it. This probably isn't exactly what you had in mind but I hope you enjoy <3
> 
> Title stolen from the song called "Lovesong" by The Cure  
> Any errors/typos are all my fault since I didn't have a beta check this over

After a day of arguing with selfish politicians, herding curious children at the aquarium with Sam, and chasing rambunctious dogs around for a local shelter's adopt-a-thon event with Bucky, Steve Rogers wanted to fall face first into the fluffy mattress he shared with his husband and not open his eyes for a week. Rationally he knew it wasn't possible, but it was a nice thought to entertain as he rode the elevator up to their shared floor.

JARVIS welcoming him into the tower was nice, but he craved the warm embrace of Tony's arms.

Steve shed his jacket at the door, hanging it haphazardly on the back of a chair. He toed off his shoes with equal carelessness, though he made sure to push them against the wall. He'd seen Tony trip on too many things in a half awake fugue state to want to chance it.

"Tony? Sorry it's so late. The dinner with the mayor took _ages_." After gaining no response, Steve checked the usual spots -- the kitchen nook where Tony took a five minute food break when JARVIS forced him out of the workshop, the theater room where Tony could sometimes be found bundled up in blankets watching a random animated film to wind down after a particularly rough day -- but his husband was nowhere to be seen.

Shrugging, Steve ambled toward their bedroom. He was determined to strip down to his briefs and crawl under the covers. Once he got settled he could ask JARVIS to send a message to Tony. Knowing his husband, he was probably down in the workshop elbows deep in some circuitry.

When Steve crossed the threshold of the room, comfort washed over him like the tide. There was nothing in the world that could match the feeling of being _home_. Maybe it partially came from the temperature regulation protocol Tony used to keep the room toasty and warm, but in the end it didn't really matter where he went as long as Tony was nearby.

_You're such a sap,_ he could hear the mental image of Bucky that lingered in the back of his head teasing him.

_What can I say? Tony brings it outta me,_ he had replied. And it was true.

As Steve approached the closet to toss his clothes into the dirty laundry hamper, he heard a lingering strain of music drifting from the en suite bathroom. A quick glance at the clock on his bedside nightstand told him it was nearly midnight.

Curious, Steve followed the sound. It felt vaguely familiar, though he wasn't sure why. Peeking his head around the doorway, Steve smiled at the sight that met his gaze.

In the bathroom, headband keeping his hair from his face, Tony stood swaying before the mirror as he dipped his fingers into some honey yellow substance. Steve knew from experience that it was some type of face cream, not that he understood why Tony felt the need to use five different ones.

Steve watched with a soft smile as Tony wiped his face clean with a soft washcloth, twirling as the song floating through the air hit a crescendo. Some would call him a creeper but seeing his husband so soft and happy filled Steve with a tangible warmth.

Next, Tony patted some clear liquid under his eyes then smoothed some type of lotion over his entire face. He looked so loose and relaxed that Steve envied him for a moment. Then the bright red toothbrush emerged from the vanity and Steve couldn't resist grinning.

The song changed and Tony sang along around the toothbrush, each syllable mushed through toothpaste foam. Midway through he removed the brush to shout:

"And tell your boyfriend, if he says he's got beef, that I'm a vegetarian and I ain't fucking scared of him!"

Steve covered his mouth to hide his chuckle but apparently he didn't succeed because at that moment Tony turned to face him, eyes wide like a deer caught in headlights. The toothbrush hung from the corner of his mouth, residual toothpaste dotting the corner of his lips, as the music continued to play at a softer volume.

Ton removed the toothbrush from his mouth, letting it hang limply in his hand. "You're home," he said. Steve would tease him for his oh-so-elegant response later.

"Yeah, I'm home." Steve stepped into the room, smiling softly. "And this was exactly what I needed."

Tony quirked his brow and popped his free hand onto his hip. "What took you so long? Don't think you can flatter me enough to forget what time it is."

Steve approached his husband, sheepish but firm as he pressed a kiss onto the corner of Tony's mouth still laden with toothpaste. "I'm sorry. Mayor de Blasio felt like being especially wordy tonight."

"That's not a surprise," Tony scoffed, pulling out of Steve's grasp to rinse his mouth and drop the toothbrush back into its holder. "Did he at least say anything worthwhile?"

"I think we're a step closer to getting that school properly funded, which is good."

"Definitely good." Tony turned back to Steve, his skin glowing in the soft light from the vanity. A song by Taylor Swift hummed softly in the background, bringing the moment into sharp relief when Tony stepped into Steve's space. "Ready for bed, soldier?"

"More ready than I've been all week," Steve replied. "Speaking of weeks, can you invent something that can give me a week's worth of rest in one night? Because that would be very appreciated right now."

Tony laughed. "Honey, you'll feel just fine in the morning. But if you're really tired tomorrow, I'll take care of your schedule."

He reached out to take Steve's hand. Steve let himself be led from the room while Tony called out, "Cut the music, J."

"Of course, sir. Pleasant dreams, Captain."

Once Tony took off his headband and slipped out of his fuzzy socks, they fell into bed together with a satisfied sigh. Tony nuzzled his way under Steve's arm, wiggling around until he found the perfect spot. Steve obliged, dropping a kiss to the crown of Tony's head once the other man settled.

"Night, sweetheart."

"Night, Tony. Thank you."

Tony glanced up from where his head lay on Steve's chest, a soft smile on his lips. "You're welcome. But really, thank _you_."

Steve lay back contentedly, tracking the steady decline of Tony's breaths until they evened out into the calm rhythm of slumber. He cozied himself down, curling himself around his husband, and let his eyes fall closed.

He had lived and loved longer than most people, by any normal standards, but no other moment in time could compare to this.

**Author's Note:**

> The song Tony sings along to is "Don't Trust Me" by 3OH!3  
> The Taylor Swift song I imagined in the background is "Love Story"
> 
> The prompt itself:  
> Steve comes home late from a long day at work and Tony's already doing his before-bed routine. He finds him in their bathroom dancing to guilty pleasure pop songs, hair pushed back in a headband, with his toothbrush in his mouth and fuzzy socks on his feet. Steve stands at the door for a long time before Tony notices.


End file.
